US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns has announced that the USA is to delay lifting the ban on imported meat from Canada from animals 30 months of age and older. This announcement followed a meeting between Mr Johanns and his Canadian counterpart, Agriculture Minister Andrew Mitchell, who met on February 9 for talks on the resumption of normal beef and cattle trade between the two countries.
In his statement, Mr Johanns said: "On Dec. 29, 2004, USDA released a final rule that establishes criteria for geographic regions to be recognised as presenting minimal risk of introducing BSE into the United States. It places Canada in the minimal-risk category, and defines the requirements that must be met for the import of certain ruminants and ruminant products from Canada. A minimal-risk region can include a region in which BSE-infected animals have been diagnosed, but where sufficient risk-mitigation measures have been put in place to make the introduction of BSE into the United States unlikely.
"Our ongoing investigations into the recent finds of BSE in Canada in
animals over 30 months are not complete. Therefore, I feel it is prudent to delay the effective date for allowing imports of meat from animals 30 months and over.
"This action also addresses concerns over the portion of the minimal-risk rule that would reopen the Canadian border for beef from animals 30 months and over, while keeping it closed for imports of older live cattle for processing in the United States. Some have suggested that this part of the rule does not reflect the evidence that beef from animals 30 months and over processed in Canada has the same risk profile as beef from Canadian animals 30 months and over processed in the United States.“
The United States closed its border to all Canadian beef and cattle in May 2003, when the first case of BSE was discovered there.
